莎
shā
Meaning
sedge grass, elegant
Five Elements
wood
Gender
Female
Strokes
10
Meaning & Cultural Context
莎 refers to sedge grass (莎草), a plant historically significant in Chinese culture for weaving baskets and mats. In classical Chinese poetry, the character appears in imagery evoking quiet natural beauty and wetland landscapes. The character has been used since ancient times as a refined, literary element in names, carrying connotations of understated elegance drawn from nature.
Using in Chinese Names
Chinese parents frequently choose 莎 for female names, especially in combination with characters like 娜 (graceful), 莉 (jasmine), or 琳 (beautiful jade). The character conveys aspirations for their daughter to possess natural grace, refined elegance, and gentle beauty—traits highly valued in traditional Chinese feminine ideals.
Personality & Impression
The character suggests a person with natural grace, refined sensibilities, and quiet inner strength—someone who carries themselves with elegant poise while maintaining a gentle, approachable nature.
For Foreigners
Note that 莎 is pronounced shā (first tone) in names but can sound like suō in compound words like 莎草 (sedge grass). It is also commonly used to transliterate foreign names, most famously in 莎士比亚 (Shakespeare).
Style & Personality
Popular Name Combinations
Common two-character names that include 莎:
sedge grass, elegant, beautiful, splendid
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, graceful, she
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, admire, wear (jade pendant)
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, excellent, beautiful
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, orchid, refined fragrance
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, concentrate, elegant stillness
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, magnificent, splendid, China
traditional, nature
sedge grass, elegant, beloved one, noble title
traditional, nature
Build a Chinese Name With 莎
If you like the character 莎 (shā - sedge grass, elegant), you can use it as the starting point for a personalized Chinese name.
Create My Chinese Name with 莎